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OT - Computer advice, need some thoughts


EZC-Boston

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posted on consumer board, but that doesn't look like its used much, so here it goes:

 

I think my computer is toast, its 4 years old, pentium 550, all i want is a decent computer, no monitor, nothing, just the tower. All i need it for is surfing the net and what not, no gaming, nothing crazy. any suggestions on where to get it? I was thinking ebay, but i'm not sure what i'm getting. I'd like to spend $400 tops. Is this doable?

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(cross-posting to the Consumer Board that I just recently found out I'm a moderator for :huh: ).

 

Yes, it's definately doable. You just missed out on a deal for a Dell Dimension 3000 P4-2.8GHz, 256M RAM System w/ 17" LCD for $529 ... However, similar deals pop up all the time. Check out the following sites and look for good PC deals:

 

http://www.slickdeals.net

http://www.devsdeals.com

http://www.techbargains.com

 

If you see a deal that you're interested in, feel free to PM me (or post) and ask if it's a good deal and I"ll let you know. You usually have to jump on these pretty quick, as they generally don't last more than 24 hours.

 

My webserver at home is a Dell 400SC with 512M RAM, 40G drive, 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 with Hyperthreading (no monitor, no OS), and after rebate I got it for roughly $350.

 

CW

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That sounds like something I'd be looking for

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Keep checking the links I posted; that deal (or a similar one) pops up once every month or two if you can wait.

 

If you can't wait, it'll probably cost you a bit more than that.

 

Would the $529 deal I mentioned have interested you? Or was CL right (but still being a troublemaker. :huh: )

 

CW

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(cross-posting to the Consumer Board that I just recently found out I'm a moderator for :huh: ).

 

Yes, it's definately doable.  You just missed out on a deal for a Dell Dimension 3000 P4-2.8GHz, 256M RAM System w/ 17" LCD for $529 ...  However, similar deals pop up all the time.  Check out the following sites and look for good PC deals:

 

http://www.slickdeals.net

http://www.devsdeals.com

http://www.techbargains.com

 

If you see a deal that you're interested in, feel free to PM me (or post) and ask if it's a good deal and I"ll let you know.  You usually have to jump on these pretty quick, as they generally don't last more than 24 hours.

 

My webserver at home is a Dell 400SC with 512M RAM, 40G drive, 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 with Hyperthreading (no monitor, no OS), and after rebate I got it for roughly $350.

 

CW

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Agreed. Right now it is 323 with only 128K of ram. Get some dual channel memory (512 meg should be enough) for about 75 more and you are good to go.

 

In fact I just ordered one today.

 

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/f...s=04&l=en&s=bsd

 

Upgrade yourself, it is much cheaper.

 

Here's some memory

 

http://shop1.outpost.com/product/3974898

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Marty, I know you're looking for $400, but if you can go a touch higher, and don't laugh:

 

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp...0%3A3944%3A3951

 

It only has 128Meg of Ram, but you said its not for anything intense. Brand new, and if you wanted to double the Ram, it would only be like $50 more.

 

Just a thought...

 

Or, you could go to best buy and get an emachine. I have had two, and no problems (that werent my fault!)

 

I got my top of the line desktop for $500 with monitor.

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my recommendations exactly, would like to add http://www.pricewatch.com to the list. recently helped a friend put together a P4 3.2Ghz w/512MB RAM, 40GB HD for approx $300 using techbargains and pricewatch

 

he provided his own software, if ya know what i mean :huh:

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Marty, I know you're looking for $400, but if you can go a touch higher, and don't laugh:

 

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp...0%3A3944%3A3951

 

It only has 128Meg of Ram, but you said its not for anything intense. Brand new, and if you wanted to double the Ram, it would only be like $50 more.

 

Just a thought...

 

Or, you could go to best buy and get an emachine. I have had two, and no problems (that werent my fault!)

 

I got my top of the line desktop for $500 with monitor.

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Sorry, I can't recommend this laptop; laptops in general have slow harddrives and low memory. Unless you need the portability, I wouldn't do it. Plus, I've never heard of this company before in my life... And laptops aren't really user-upgradable (aside from memory and possibly harddrive)

 

And please don't support eMachines. :huh:

 

I just doublechecked what i paid for my webserver, and it was $290. However, the current deal that VABills posted is great because there's no rebate (I had a $100 mailin rebate). Memory is easy to upgrade yourself (and I would go 512M), but if you're scared and don't know anyone who can help you, you can do it through Dell (it's not *terribly* overpriced...)

 

CW

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Dell has a brand new 2.4 P4 box with 40 GB and a 17" monitor, dual CD drive, mouse and keyboard for $399. 

 

You "think" it's toast?  Depending on your issues, a $50 part may solve the problem.

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Or a reinstall of the OS...

 

But considering it's only 550MHz, he's better off upgrading than fighting with it.

 

CW

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And please don't support eMachines.  ;)

 

CW

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sorry chris, but eMachines are a GREA Value. Im on my second one (only because i left my first at home. P4, 2.60, half a gig of ram, 80 gig HD, DVD, 17" flat screen monitor, etc, etc, and it cost me total $499. And i have yet to have a problem.

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sorry chris, but eMachines are a GREA Value. Im on my second one (only because i left my first at home. P4, 2.60, half a gig of ram, 80 gig HD, DVD, 17" flat screen monitor, etc, etc, and it cost me total $499. And i have yet to have a problem.

 

They use inferior parts, generally have a much slower FSB (which they don't generally list in the specs), aren't very upgradable, etc. They have a *VERY* bad reputation.

 

But don't listen to me, I only work in IT (although mainly on the UNIX side) ;) Everyone I work with would equate eMachines with AOL. And that's NOT a complement.

 

CW

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They use inferior parts, generally have a much slower FSB (which they don't generally list in the specs), aren't very upgradable, etc.  They have a *VERY* bad reputation.

 

But don't listen to me, I only work in IT (although mainly on the UNIX side) ;)  Everyone  I work with would equate eMachines with AOL.  And that's NOT a complement.

 

CW

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emachines = rj

aol = rj

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Just one more factor to take into consideration. How are you connecting to the internet? Do you have dial-up, DSL or Cable. Allthough you might think every computer is going to have both an internal dial-up modem and an ethernet connection, a low end machine might not. We bought two E-machines last may. I'm using one. A little better one we bought for my daughter for college (better because it has a DVD burner we thought she might need because she's majoring in communication with a concentration in media). our computer at home has an ethernet card in it from the store. We took my daughter to college and attempted to set her computer up on the college network only to discover no ethernet card. It wasn't a big deal We were able to buy an ethernet card at a nearby (10 miles) Staple's store for $10 after rebate and I took the cover off the computer and put it in. I'm no computer geek, but it was easy. It was just one more trip that contributed to a very long day.

 

I have one more website you might want to check out:

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/ca...c.asp?CatId=118

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Thats right- all 5900+ of my posts are about Drew ;) Funny all the X=rj posts dont get your panties in a wad but I make a joke equating Drew to RJ and you have a conniption. Man get a sense of humor. Get a life while you are at it too :lol:

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